Eldesa Hold
Eldesa Hold is the north-eastern hold of Din Eschal. Its capital is Eldorn, near its center, and other major cities include Belrough, Korolov, Sifsted, and Vinarest. Although, Belrough is physically within the borders of Eldesa Hold, it is not politically within Eldesa Hold's purview. Eldesa Hold consists of the Greater Eldesa Valley area, which includes Lesser Eldesa Valley, Immer Wood, and The Dark-Touched Lands. Politics Each city's representative in the Grand Court of Din Eschal also holds a seat in Eldesa Hold's council. The council doesn't have the power to manage any laws related to the election or appointment of the seats of which it consists, but may otherwise govern itself as it sees fit. Eldesa Hold's governmental decisions are decided by votes cast by those representatives. The mayors of each major city get 2 votes (Belrough gets two, though the votes in which its representative is allowed to take part are limited to laws and agreements only affecting the Eldesa Hold itself), and other cities get 1, whereas the capital, Eldorn, gets 3. The last king to reside over the nation (at the end of the last era) hailed from within Eldesa Hold's borders, though it had a different name at the time. Most of the cities within Eldesa, unlike those of Gellion Hold and Orost Hold, are strongly united under the Council of Eldesa. As a result, politics are more intricate here, with any major shifts in power being difficult to achieve. Corruption tends to be less varied from city to city, never being too open about it. Several council members have, however, been erased from the history books practically overnight when they displeased the people enough. This is an ability unique to the Eldesa Council, since they long ago enacted a statute so the council halls have a permanent zone of truth spell and all meetings are public. As such, hiding minor, inconvenient truths from any keen peasant can be tricky, let alone major truths from council-appointed investigators. People The people of this hold are a happy and jubilant lot. They produce far more food than they need; enough, in fact, for the entirety of the country. Usually, the country as a whole is wealthy and well fed. They tend to be trusting and helpful, but they'll band together to fight back against anyone who tries to take advantage of them. The area is about a third human and a third halfling, with the remainder being all manner of race. Grand Investigator Tora Moletzy Grand Cleric Varion Archbaelant Somid of Eldorn Places Within Eldesa Hold are many cities. Most of them are prosperous and plentiful, as they've been since their founding. With the exception of those claimed by The Withering, each city founded before the Shardel Invasion still exists today, though in the case Alebor, that's only because it was rebuilt from ruins. The Dark-Touched Lands to the southwest originally contained the capital city, Krikindell. In fact, it was the capital city of the entire country after the vote which created the union. The Withering took the capital (often thought to have been its epicenter, in fact), before the mantle was passed to Miraball, before Eldorn was named the new capital of Eldesa Hold when Miraball was found to be too corrupt. To avoid having too much power centered in one place, as had happened with Miraball, it was decided that the nation's capital would never again be a hold's capital. However, due to the productivity within Eldesa Valley, it was deemed prudent to keep the nation's capital within its borders where it would be a simple matter to awe visiting dignitaries. East of The Dark-Touched Lands lies Immer Wood, which originally spread all the way to the mountains dividing Eldesa Hold and Orost Hold. A mere shadow of what it once was, Immer Wood is still the location of Immer Grove, a settlement of druids which mostly keep to themselves. Although it was moved when The Withering took the western two-thirds of Immer Wood, then known as Immer Forest, it has essentially continually existed in one form or another for thousands of years. East of the Immer Wood, and also north of the Atheris River, which borders the entire original Immer Grove on its north, lies arable land used by the people of Eldesa Hold to provide food for themselves, both other holds, and a moderate amount for export. Cities: * Eldorn * Belrough * Sifsted * Vinarest * Korolov * Alebor * Trinity * Sabbadine * Fairborne * Chorbolt * Krikindell Things Eldesa Hold is home to a handful of wonderous sights, though Gellion Hold houses the majority of Din Eschal's wonders. Lying near Eldorn's center is the Temple of Gelledin. Said to be as old as the city itself, it is the tallest city-based building in all of Din Eschal. From the balcony on its highest spire, one can see the entirety of Eldesa Hold, and even Port Pleasant and Shale from Gellion Hold. The Atheris River itself is a wonder, with the Black Adder River as its sibling. The two are entirely artificial rivers, created by the Druids of Immer Grove to contain The Withering. The longest known artificial river, people from other countries, and indeed the other holds, occasionally make bathing in the Atheris River a stop on their travels. Although the high wizard of Eldesa Hold's council claims the magic present in the rivers disappears at the meeting of the two at Serpent's Tongue, many still claim to feel its magic all the way to the ocean. Serpent's Tongue itself is another notable feature within Eldesa Hold, as it isn't just a location, but is also an obelisk in the center of the rivers' joining. Myth claims there are several more intrigues within Eldesa Hold. There are mysterious springs sacred to the Druids of Immer Grove. Not much is known about them, but the few who have convinced the druids to speak of them at all claim there were three once upon a time, but two have since been 'lost'. The Spires of Verlaix, one on either side of the road into Krikindell, held powerful magic used by the guard to keep watch over the city and all its surrounding lands. Able to give the city's guards the ability to see and hear throughout the city, it made them nigh omniscient. Whispers speak of these powerful spires as one possible reason for The Withering's creation, though such a clear reason has never been agreed upon. It's not even known if The Withering was intentional, let alone the reason behind it. Feather Spring is a non-magical spring within Immer Wood. It is home to a great beast of some kind said to grant wishes. History Eldesa Hold is the unfortunate home to The Withering. Before The Withering, the capital city of the hold, and indeed the country itself, was Krikindell, a thriving metropolis set beside the sprawling Immer Valley Forest. The Withering destroyed all life within its reach before the Druids of Immer Grove managed to contain it. Unfortunately, the capital was lost.